How long is 3-5 business days for shipping?

3-5 business days for shipping means 3-5 working days (Monday-Friday), excluding weekends and holidays. This typically equals 5-7 calendar days.

Does shipping time include weekends?

Standard shipping times are quoted in business days, which exclude weekends. However, some carriers like USPS and FedEx offer weekend delivery for certain services.

How do I calculate estimated delivery date?

Enter the shipping date and the number of transit business days in the calculator above. It will compute the estimated delivery date, skipping weekends and public holidays.

Shipping Time Calculator

When will your package arrive? Enter the shipping speed in business days and get the estimated delivery date, excluding weekends and holidays.

Shipping speeds explained

Overnight (1 business day): next working day delivery. Order Monday, arrives Tuesday.
Express (2 business days): order Monday, arrives Wednesday.
Expedited (3 business days): common for priority shipping. Order Friday, arrives Wednesday.
Standard (5 business days): one full work week. Most common free shipping option.
Economy (7 business days): budget shipping. Roughly 9-11 calendar days.
Ground (10 business days): cross-country ground shipping. About 2 calendar weeks.
Freight (14 business days): large item and international economy shipping.

How to read your delivery estimate

The date shown is the business day your package is expected to arrive. It already skips weekends and public holidays. For example, if you order on a Friday with 3-business-day shipping, your package arrives Wednesday (not Monday, because Saturday and Sunday do not count).

How Shipping Business Days Work

When a retailer says "3-5 business days for delivery," they mean 3-5 working days, excluding weekends and holidays. This is the standard shipping estimate used by FedEx, UPS, USPS, and most online retailers. Understanding how shipping business days are calculated helps you set accurate delivery expectations.

Shipping carriers typically do not count the day the package is picked up or dropped off as day 1. The countdown begins on the next business day. For example, if you ship a package on Monday with 3-day delivery, it arrives on Thursday. If you ship on Thursday, it arrives the following Tuesday (skipping the weekend).

Carrier-Specific Shipping Day Rules

Different carriers have slightly different rules for business day calculations:

FedEx: Ground service counts business days from pickup. Express service may deliver on Saturday for an additional fee.
UPS: Standard ground delivery is business days only. UPS SurePost may use USPS for final delivery, which can include Saturday.
USPS: Priority Mail delivers on Saturday but not Sunday (with limited exceptions). Holidays are excluded.

Holiday Shipping Considerations

During major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, shipping carriers often have modified schedules. Additional holidays may be observed, and delivery times may be extended. Always add extra buffer time during November and December, as package volume increases significantly and weather delays become more likely.